Yoganathan was a ball boy at Anfield in 2018 when Divock Origi scored an injury-time winner against Everton in the Premier League, and “loved watching” Philippe Coutinho when he was in the club’s academy.
As for Phillips, who retired from cycle speedway at 16 after winning British titles, there is a link with Coutinho too.
“I was 16 when I went to America with the first team for a pre-season tour in 2014 under Brendan Rodgers and I got subbed on for Coutinho in one of the games. It was surreal,” he recalls.
“I’d just left school and was training with Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and Coutinho.”
Such was the hype around Yoganathan’s signing that Rodgers, the Liverpool boss at the time, was there on the day he joined at the age of eight. The Reds had scouted him when he was six.
“I’ve still got the picture framed up at home with me next to Brendan and my parents,” says Yoganathan.
Yet by 2021, he was looking for another club. That was when Bobby Hassell, the academy manager at Barnsley – who also played in the cup tie at Anfield 18 years ago – gave him an opportunity in South Yorkshire.
“It was tough [getting released],” says Yoganathan. “Any lad who’s been released from a football club knows it’s one of the most devastating experiences, but it’s helped me overcome challenges.
“As a person, it’s helped me become more resilient. Football’s a game of opinions. One person might start you in League One whereas other coaches didn’t want to give me a chance in academy games. I’ve learned to overcome that and become more resilient.”
Yoganathan’s footballing journey has been well documented as a trailblazer for South Asians and the teenager insists it’s all a bit “mad”.
“I never thought that I’d be able to have this platform to showcase to people that it is possible for a Tamil player to play professional football,” he adds. “It’s a bit mad to say but I’m happy I can show that it is possible.”
